


That's Amore

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, annabeth likes pisa, but not as much as nico likes jason, italian chefs like using spoons as weapons, percy likes pizza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-12 19:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1196181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico teaches Jason how to appreciate jazz music.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That's Amore

 

 

If it weren’t for Jason’s stupid, idiotic,  _irresistible_  puppy dog eyes, Nico would have been able to say no. Really. But no— and now he found himself wedged between a beaming Hazel and a wildly gesticulating Percy en route to what Percy had announced was the best pizza place in New York, perhaps the best in the world! (And this was the same boy who had pizza for dinner every other day, so when he said best, he meant it.)

Sullen and resigned to a night of torture worse than even his father could dream up, Nico rolled his eyes and politely told Percy to can it. Everyone got a kick out of that— Annabeth especially— and what little tension had been keeping the eight demigods from feeling entirely comfortable in each others’ presence was relieved. Jason twisted around from the front seat and shot Nico a grin so genuine, so elated, that the younger boy couldn’t help but to send a tentative smile right back. They probably would have smiled shyly at each other all night were it not for Leo’s exasperated groan.

"Jason, would you please stop being a creep for, like, two seconds and keep your eyes on the road? By Jove, it’s a wonder you can even get to your table in the cafeteria with how easily a pretty face distracts you."

The car, Jason included, filled with raucous laughter once more and Nico flushed beet red. He knew Leo was just joking, but it caught him off guard how nonchalant the boy could be about something that’d taken Nico years to realize wasn’t a taboo topic anymore…

He made a vow to stay silent the rest of the night. He’d have to sacrifice being rewarded with Jason’s crooked smile whenever he said something particularly witty (or really whenever he spoke up at all, because apparently Jason was labouring under the delusion that Nico was just that clever), but it would be almost worth it to avoid being embarrassed like that again.

Unfortunately, Jason foiled his brilliant plan the moment the eight stepped foot in Percy’s Pizza Place (patent pending!). 

"Hey," the blonde gently nudged Nico’s shoulder with his own while the others were waxing poetic about the toppings that they planned on getting. Nico started with a small ‘ _eep!’_ that made Jason’s eyes first widen in surprise and then proceed to narrow in utter delight. He lowered his voice so that the rest couldn’t hear even if they’d been listening,

"Something on your mind?"

Nico glared at him, trying to cover up the shameful noise he’d just emitted with a look that could have curdled dairy. Despite himself, Nico realized that he did want to tell Jason what he was thinking. That actually startled him more than Jason had.

With the most exaggerated eyeroll ever, like explaining it to Jason wasn’t worth his precious time, Nico said,

"If you  _must_ know, I remember this song from back when it first came out. They used to play it over and over again in the bar across the street from a hotel café my… family and I had frequented.”

He’d stumbled a bit over the word _family_ , but all in all, he’d managed to talk about his past without breaking down and/or summoning a legion of the undead so that was something. Jason seemed to think so too, with the look on his face.

"Nico," he started, aghast, "this song is like, from the 40’s or something. I mean! It’s awesome, don’t get me wrong, but… wow. I just realized you have  _a lot_ of catching up to do with music and everything, dude.” 

Jason winced and bit his lip. That had come out wrong. Oh gods, Nico was going to shut him out again. He was going to run away and disappear in the shadow-filled alleyway out back all because Jason had insulted his music taste. He truly was an idiot of the highest degree.

Nico looked over Jason’s shoulder, at the six demigods who were milling about and waiting for their pizzas, seemingly unaware or not caring that Jason and Nico hadn’t joined them yet. Jason gulped but Nico’s flight never came. Instead, a lascivious grin spread across his face, dimpling his cheeks in a way that made Jason’s heart stop, just for a moment. Throwing his shoulders back and tossing his glossy black hair out of his eyes, Nico extended a hand to Jason, who had no choice but to numbly accept it. Thankfully, Nico ignored the slight shock he felt when the son of Jupiter’s hand closed around his.

"Grace, let me show you just how good jazz can make you feel."

And then he led him out through the open doors onto the restaurant’s deck. Jason took a moment to marvel at the way the light of the full moon illuminated the ivy that coiled and twisted through the criss-crossed maze of iron rods high above their heads, making it seem like they had stumbled upon a garden of Artemis’ silvery plants instead of an off limits section of a mortal pizza place. The song changed into something a little slower, but Nico shrugged inwardly and clasped Jason’s other hand within his own. Jazz was jazz, and he could dance better at a slower pace, making it all the easier to woo Jason Grace. They then set off on a stumbling, awkward series of movements that could in no certain terms be called dancing. 

Nico gritted his teeth, all thoughts of wooing gone from his mind,

"Grace, anyone ever tell you that you suck at dancing?"

Jason didn’t seem to hear him. He cocked his head, then laughed a laugh that seemed so loud in the still evening air that Nico feared a spoon-bearing Italian chef might come out and force them to go inside and eat pizza with Percy while Annabeth droned on about the leaning tower of Pisa. No one bothered them though, and they continued to spin around, getting better now that they had grown more accustomed to each other’s style. Nico fixated upon the slight movement of Jason’s lips as he sang along under his breath.

"… _When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore_ …” 

Gods, Nico was screwed. Why did he have to fall for such an enormous dork?

Without missing a step and carefully, cautiously so as to give Jason the chance to back away if he wanted, Nico rested his head on the blonde’s broad chest. He wrapped his arms tight around his waist, giving up all premise of teaching him how to dance to jazz. He wasn’t even sure if he had been dancing correctly all along, and he found, as Jason rubbed his hand in lazy circles over his shoulder, that he didn’t care.

When Jason dropped his head and murmured the last words of the song into Nico’s hair, he could hear the smile in his voice.

"… _that’s amore.”_


End file.
